Dance/USA Statement In Support of a Healthy, Safe, and Equitable Culture

Dance/USA Statement In Support of a Healthy, Safe, and Equitable Culture

Dance/NYC works in alliance with Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance.

Professional dance, like any other industry in our society, must reckon with the dynamics of power, the challenges of interpersonal communication, and the impact of systemic inequities. Power can be abused and inappropriate or disrespectful behavior can harm individuals’ ability to thrive. Furthermore, abuse of power, bullying, and harassment can impact all people regardless of gender, identity, ability, race, age, or sexual orientation. Anyone can be an offender or a victim.

As awareness of the extent and effects of sexual harassment in the arts and other fields has been raised in our country, a cultural shift is underway to decry the silence and impunity that has for too long enabled misuses of power. As a national service organization for dance, it is our responsibility to promote healthy and safe working environments in our field and to support the cultural movement towards a more equitable future.

We challenge and commit ourselves to celebrating our art form of physical expression while ensuring our field is a safe and equitable place for all.

This is an opportunity for everyone in the dance field to audit themselves and their organizations and ask: Is the culture in my dance environment healthy? Are individuals who need to speak up empowered and given a supportive path to do so? Is everyone, in all levels and positions, educated about what behavior is inappropriate and about what constitutes an equitable workplace? Are the individuals in power respectful of everyone around them? None of us should be exempt from honestly conducting this personal evaluation.

To support the dance field during this time of national cultural change, dance service organizations are coming together in solidarity. Together, we commit to advocate for healthy organizational environments that do not tolerate harassment of any kind or abuse of power. United, we champion a just and equitable culture where individuals have supportive pathways to speak up.

By signing on to this statement, we agree to:

Advocate for a culture that is safe and equitable for all individuals and is intolerant of harassment of any kind or abuse of power

Ensure our own organizations put in place and enforce healthy and equitable policies and procedures

Provide resources, information, and/or education to the dance field, as appropriate, to promote safe and equitable work environments for all individuals in our field